Yucca filamentosa cv. Bright Edge Photo by: Forest Starr & Kim Starr
Habit at Kula Ace Hardware and Nursery, Maui, Hawaii, USA. September 06, 2007
Origin and Habitat: Garden origin. The natural species is native to the southeastern United States as far west as Louisiana and as far north as Maryland and West Virginia.
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Yucca filamentosa
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Accepted name in llifle Database:Yucca filamentosa L.Sp. Pl. 319 (1753).Synonymy: 15
Cultivars
(7):
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Description: Yucca filamentosaSN|30078]]SN|30078]] cv. Bright Edge (a.k.a. "Golden Sword Yucca") is a dwarf cultivar with yellow-margined foliage and creamy flowers tinged with green. It is one of the most commonly grown garden ornamental yuccas in temperate climates.
Habit: It is a multi-suckering, trunk-less, herbaceous perennial shrub less than 70 cm tall with rosettes of long, filamentous strappy leaves.
Stem: Acaulescent or rarely caulescent, simple 0–20 cm in height hidden by the leaves when present.
Laves: Basal, strap-like, all originating from a point in the form of a rosette, erect to spreading, proximal leaves often becoming curved near middle, lanceolate, flattened up to 50 cm long, 2–3 cm broad, usually flexible, soft green or slightly glaucous, bordered with a creamy yellow margin of variable width which is parallel with the veins of the leaf. Margins entire, long and inrolled at the tip, otherwise splitting into stout curled threads or filaments.
Inflorescence: Paniculate, showy arising beyond rosettes. Peduncle erect, scapelike, 1–3 m tall, less than 2.5 cm diameter. Flowers-bearing part well above the leaves. Panicle ovoid, 75–150 cm long, glabrous, bearing several dozen of pendulous cream flowers in early summer. Bracts erect.
Flowers: Campanulate, Hanging down 5-7 cm long. Perianth globose. Tepals distinct, nearly white, ovate, 5–7 cm long, 2–3 cm wide, glabrous, abruptly mucronate, (apex acuminate), white tinged with green, yellow or cream. Filaments shorter than pistil. Pistil 1.5–3.8 cm; stigmas lobed.
Blooming season: Flowering mid spring-early summer.
Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Yucca filamentosa group
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Wikipedia contributors. "Yucca filamentosa." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 25 Apr. 2014. Web. 8 Jan. 2015.
2) Forest & Kim Starr “Yucca filamentosa (Adam's needle, gold sword yucca)”. Plants of Hawaii. <http://www.starrenvironmental.com>. Web. 5 Jan. 2015.
3) Urs Eggli “Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Monocotyledons: Monocotyledons” Springer Science & Business Media, 17 July 2001
4) T. K. Lim “Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants” Volume 7, Flowers, Volume 7 Springer Science & Business Media, 08 November 2013
5) “Yucca filamentosa” in: Flora of North America Editorial Committee, “Flora of North America, Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales.” v 26, p 425. 2006. http://www.efloras.org Web. 8 Jan. 2015.
6) Marr, D. L., et al. (2000). “Pollen dispersal in Yucca filamentosa (Agavaceae): the paradox of self-pollination behavior by Tegeticula yuccasella (Prodoxidae).” American Journal of Botany 87(5), 670-77.
7) “Yucca filamentosa.” in: Fritz Hochstätter “Yucca (Agavaceae).” Band 2 USA, Selbstverlag, 2002, S. 274–278, Fotomaterial S. 281–290, Erstbeschreibung S. 263–265, S. 315–316,
8) Marie Harrison “Flowering Shrubs and Small Trees for the South” Pineapple Press Inc, 2009
Cultivation and Propagation: Yucca filamentosa is a carefree and durable plant that will survive with no help from the gardener and therefore widely cultivated in many selections, including variegated forms. It is fully hardy, though in cultivation it benefits from a sheltered position away from winter winds. Like its larger counterparts, this yucca has needle-tipped leaves, so you can't plant it near play or walk areas. The plant thrives in sandy to sandy loam soils in full sun and is very drought tolerant and do well in outdoor container even without supplementary irrigation.
Growth rate: It grows fairly rapidly for a Yucca.
Soil: Plant in fast draining soil but can be established in virtually any type of soil. It is adapted to a dry environment, but has a good tolerance to moisture and humidity when planted in a well-draining soil.
Waterings: Provide little or no water in winter. Treat like a succulent. However, they grow faster if watered well (don't water the crown, though they rot easily). In the garden they should be placed in a sunny, well-drained area with additional summer water in dry climates.
Exposure: They thrive best in full sun, but can be grown with some shade and humidity, but may become leggy.
Hardiness. It is hardy outdoors in central Europe but best where winter temperatures stay above 0° C, but resist to -18° C (or even less) in well drained soil, planted in protect and exposed to south area. Plants in containers can be moved inside during longer cold spells.
Manteinance: Remove dead fronds and spent fruiting stalks for a clean landscape appearance.
Garden uses: Y. filamentosa is cultivated in mild temperate areas as an architectural plant.
Propagation: Offsets. The species is also easy to propagate from stems or truncheons.